Area plan commission recommends denying rezoning of 1.5 acres at State Road 13 and County Road 150 North

The Kosciusko County Area Plan Commission on Tuesday voted to recommend denial of a rezoning request that would convert roughly 1.5 acres next to the intersection of State Road 13 and County Road 150 North from agricultural to commercial.

Michelle Camacho, one of the property owners, told the commission she and her family want to fund broader agricultural goals on their remaining acreage and that the parcel’s soil quality has limited productive crops. “This was not an easy choice for our family to make,” Camacho said, adding that sale of the small corner would finance fencing, a greenhouse and other farm investments.

Multiple neighbors urged denial during the public-comment period, concentrating on four themes: traffic safety at the hillcrest intersection, drainage and flooding, retail oversaturation, and precedent-setting spot zoning. “My biggest concern is the intersection,” said resident Jody Kibbe, who described multiple accidents near the junction and warned that increased turning movements could lead to serious injury. Resident Jennifer Reif urged the board to deny the request, saying it would risk safety, farmland and the county’s comprehensive plan.

Plan Director Matt Sandy reminded commissioners that the hearing was limited to whether the parcel’s highest and best use should be commercial; specific site plans and conditional approvals would be considered at later hearings if rezoning were approved. Dave Peters of Chamlin and Associates, the surveyor and consultant for the petitioner, said a traffic study sealed in January 2026 used counts from late 2025 and that a septic operator judged commercial septic feasible; commissioners noted the study may not reflect peak summer traffic generated by nearby campgrounds.

After hearing testimony and questions, a commissioner who identified himself as a county commissioner moved to deny the petition; the motion was seconded and approved by voice vote. The commission’s non‑approval recommendation will be transmitted to the Kosciusko County Commissioners for their public hearing on March 24 at 9:00 a.m.

The petitioners said the proposed parcel is small (about 1.5 acres) and would limit large industrial uses; they also provided a list of roughly 90 county residents who support the project. Opponents emphasized the location’s sight-distance and seasonal drainage problems and argued that allowing a commercial parcel in the middle of extensive agricultural land would be a spot-zoning precedent.

Next steps: The county commissioners will hold the public hearing on March 24; the planning commission’s recommendation will be part of the record for that decision.